


So Close to Being Stolen

by theweddingofthefoxes



Series: The Glowing Sun and Faithful Moon [3]
Category: Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: Kidnapping Attempt, M/M, boy emperor au, choloform, ren is put to the test
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-22
Updated: 2017-01-06
Packaged: 2018-09-11 01:54:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,580
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8949028
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theweddingofthefoxes/pseuds/theweddingofthefoxes
Summary: Ren had not imagined, in his private fantasies of glory and proving himself, that he would feel so frightened when something did end up happening.





	1. Chapter 1

Brendol had always said that planets added to the Empire by force rather than coming willingly required twice the attention and caution. The additions he had made were calculated, intended to be worth far more in resources and armies and potential servants of the empire than they were in trouble, but the risks were, of course, there. Risks of rebellion. Risks of retaliation. There would be those who wished to do harm to the heir, or use him as a bargaining chip. He was the only one, the only child. “This is why you are so vital, Kylo Ren,” Brendol told him when he was renamed. Until the day he died, Brendol only called him Kylo Ren, not his old name, and not just Ren, which was how Armitage always referred to him. 

In a strange way, this was highly flattering. Brendol was absolutely not the sort of man to praise a child simply to make him feel good, so if he thought Ren was vital, Ren must be vital. He must be. Sometimes he imagined just how it might happen when he had to rescue Armitage one day. How powerful everyone would think he is, and how important he would feel, how worthy. Brendol would know he had made the right choice, and all his training and fear and uncertainty would have been for something worthwhile. But he also felt a little bit bad when he thought about it–after all, something bad would have to happen to Armitage in order for all that to happen, and he never wanted anything bad to happen to Armitage. _But if anything bad happens to him, I’ll protect him and save him. That’s my job!_

It doesn’t happen until Ben is nearly fifteen and Armitage is sixteen. The plot was simple and efficient. At a public event the Imperial Family is attending, a fire was set to cause a diversion and create confusion. Ren is never more than a few steps away from Armitage, and he immediately pulled Armitage forward as he shouldered his way towards the quickest path to safety. Though he was younger, he was much broader and stronger, and they are of a height (until Ren’s growth spurt hits him at eighteen and he sprouts six inches seemingly overnight). At first, Ren assumes that it was just the press of the crowd that was making it hard to lead the heir along, but Armitage’s fingers began to loosen in Ren’s grasp, and the Ren’s intuition pinged like a radar screen. He whipped around and there was one of the apparent arsonists, one arm around Armitage’s shoulders and the other hand pressing something to his face, something that was making Armitage drowsy and confused and sluggish. 

Ren didn’t hesitate. He let go of Armitage’s hand and his arm sliced upward, his fingers curled into a fist like he’s crushing an invisible egg. The would-be kidnapper sputtered and choked, panicking, and Armitage stumbled forward, nearly falling to his knees, but with his other arm Ren scooped him under the arms to help him stand. 

“Can you walk?” he shouted over the roar of the crowd, and Armitage pushed all his effort into focusing on Ren’s face. He shook his head and Ren hoisted him up, into the sort of hold he’s seen rescue droids use when evacuating people from burning buildings. By this time, the rest of the Imperial guard has caught up. 

“This man was trying to kidnap the heir,” Ren said, pointing at the wheezing attacker on the ground, now just as hazily half-lucid as his target thanks to a lack of air. “Take him into Imperial custody so he can be tried for his crime.” He winced as he heard his voice crack as he spoke, when he was trying so hard to sound commanding and authoritative. But the rest of the guardsmen obeyed without hesitation, and he can focus on taking Armitage to safety. 

Armitage began to blink rapidly as he slowly came to. “Ren,” he says, still sounding a touch woozy. “That was incredible. I’ve never seen anything like that.”

“That’s the Force,” was all Ren could think to say. “Let me know when you can walk. You seem better already.”

Armitage nodded but made no attempt to get out of Ren’s hold. “Thank you,” he says. “Ren, thank you.”

Ren had not imagined, in his private fantasies of glory and proving himself, that he would feel so frightened when something did end up happening. Though strangely, Ren hadn’t felt afraid until Armitage was already safe again. The realization that Armitage could have been really hurt, or stolen…

“This fringe group was hoping to ransom my son to fund their fantasy of rebellion,” Brendol said later, when formally congratulating Ren for his quick thinking and efficient action. It is rewarding, just as he imagined it would be. But not nearly as rewarding as Armitage’s face when he thanked him, so open and earnest and genuine, so fearful but so assured that, thanks to Ren, everything would be okay.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The aftermath of the near-kidnapping does not involve Brendol being empathetic.

Ren hung back, close enough to step in if he was needed, but far enough to maintain a respectful distance. He had sworn to protect Armitage but–he could not take on the Emperor himself. 

“This is exactly why your guard is so very necessary,” Brendol said. “Why did you break away from the rest of the Imperial group?”

“Father,” Armitage said, angry but also pleading, trying to make him understand. “I–I just wanted to get to safety. I wasn’t thinking about–”

“–Anything,” Brendol finished. “Your guard stepped in and rescued you, because you don’t have the survival instincts the gods gave an insect. Why would you move away from the rest of the royal guard?”

Ren’s stomach dropped. It had been him who had led Armitage in that direction, rather than the other way around, because the press of the crowd was moving them that way and it would have been impossible to move against it. Instead, Ren had chosen to pull Armitage along until he could link back up with the rest of the royal guard–keeping Armitage unseen and out of the way had been the priority, and it had backfired. And it had been his fault.

“I’m sorry,” Armitage said, almost silent.

The apology didn’t mollify him; if anything, it made him angrier. “So you don’t even have any excuse for yourself? If only I could live forever Armitage. Or at least until you’re a bit less spineless.”

Brendol moved brusquely past as he left, without another word to say, and Armitage hurried off to his own rooms, Ren at his heels.

The moment they entered, Armitage stalked into his refresher, also wordless. Anxiety tied Ren’s stomach up, and he sat down outside of the refresher door, feeling out with the Force to the other side. A mild intrusion of privacy, but he reasoned that it was worth making sure his Emperor was safe, was okay. 

Reaching out to feel Armitage’s thoughts put an instant lump in Ren’s throat–Armitage was working with all his might to not cry, holding his jaw closed like a muzzled animal, his eyes screwed shut, standing with his anger and shame coming off him in waves that were literally palpable to Ren. It was more than he could take.

“Can I come in?” Ren asked. 

There was a very long pause.

“I don’t really care what you do,” Armitage answers.

It is the harshest thing Armitage has ever said to Ren so far but it gets him in the door with permission, so Ren enters.

He looked as bad as he felt. He was trembling, red in the face, his lower lip already beginning to swell from how hard he had bitten it. As soon as their eyes met, Armitage softened.

“I’m so sorry,” Ren said. “That–what he was angry about was because of me–”

“I’m alive because of you,” Armitage said. “Which matters to him. I guess.”

“Armie, of course it does.”

“He doesn’t have any other heir. So.”

“That’s not what I mean.”

“He doesn’t think I’ll ever be able to rule,” Armitage says. “He said as much.”

“You will be able to rule,” Ren insisted. The kindness stung the wound the way bacta would, and Armitage’s face crumpled. “Armie, please listen to me. You’re so smart, and so–you know so much history, and you care so much about ruling well. You’ll do so well.”

“But what if I don’t?” Armitage rubbed roughly at his face. “What if I’m terrible? Sometimes I’m so scared thinking about that that I can’t sleep.”

“You don’t have anything to be scared of,” Ren said, trying to speak softly, calming. Not sure if he was doing it right. Ren put his arms around him, trying, trying, trying to hold all of Armitage in. “Your enemies, they should be scared of you. When did you design your first weapon, last year? You were fifteen. Your enemies will tremble. And you’ll keep your people safe.”

“They’ll be scared of you, too,” Armitage whispers. “They’ll learn to fear you if they mean harm to the Empire. They’ll all know your name, too. Know what you can do.”

“I can’t do that much, yet.”

“You can save my life, though.”

Armitage didn’t pull away for a very long time, and they stood there on the cold tile of the refresher, waiting to calm down, imagining how perfect the future would be.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm collecting all my Boy Emperor Hux stories from [Tumblr](http://theweddingofthefoxes.tumblr.com/tagged/boy-emperor-hux) on my Ao3! This was the first one that came from a lil prompt, and people really seemed to like it. Thanks so much to the anon who sent me the idea because I got REALLY inspired.


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